Miami 21 Could Stall Developers

By Deserae del Campo
As Miami undergoes zoning changes with Miami 21, the city’s planning blueprint, development could sit on hold.

If the ordinance is enacted, developers targeting the Upper East Side, Wynwood, Edgewater, Riverside, Downtown and Brickell might have to wait for permitting. The pause wouldn’t affect projects that already have permits.

"Zoning-in-progress is a pause, not a freeze, on the review and approval of applications," said Luciana Gonzalez, special projects coordinator with the planning department. "Any applications that are not affected by the current zoning ordinance will be accepted and processed as normal."

Under Miami 21 as proposed, a developer seeking a major use special permit would have two years with two possible extensions of two more years for a maximum six years, Ms. Gonzalez said. The time limit for single-family residence would be 180 days.

"What would happen is that the city will accept their applications but won’t process it if the project is located within an area where zoning changes are in progress," she said.

Zoning-in-progress doesn’t stop the city from accepting development applications for areas currently unaffected by Miami 21 such as Little Havana, Overtown or Coconut Grove. Those areas would come later.

The planning department and municipal planners Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co. are working on the draft for the East Quadrant, expected to be finished by year’s end.

The zoning-in-progress ordinance isn’t yet law. It first must be approved by the planning advisory board and then the city commission. It’s expected to go to the advisory board in September.

Ms. Gonzalez said once Miami 21 is completely adopted there will be no need for zoning-in-progress.

Miami 21 would cut Miami’s current 361 classified uses for buildings to 47. Advertisement